Building



I c. T. LUDINGTON 2,270,537

BUILDING Filed Feb. 8, 1939 INVENTOR fly/7415s 7brr/vss/vplum/varoqPatented Jan. 20, 1942 U at.

i'rso STATES- ATENT OFFEC 12 Claims.

This invention relates to buildings and particularly to improvements inexterior surfaces thereof to minimize adverse effects of high windvelocities.

In my application, Serial No. 247,333 filed Dethe roof; to provide meanson the side walls of buildings contributing toward the prevention ofdifferential pressures on a roof thereabove; to provide buildingsupported elements normally permitting free flow of water and the likebut which are automatically operated by the relative air stream to setup turbulence and other draginducing effects on the air stream; toprovide hurricane-proofing for buildings at extremely small costs; toprovide metal stampings for use on buildings to interfere with the freeflow of air relative thereto; to provide a series of dragcreatingelements formed from a single strip of metal; and many other objects andadvantages will become more apparent as the descriptio proceeds.

- In the accompanying drawing forming part of this description:

Fig. 1 represents a fragmentary perspective of a roof surface containingspinning turbulencecreating devices arranged to permit free drainage'therebeneath.

Fig. 2 represents a similar fragmentary perspective of a sloping roofarea in which fins are arranged in staggered overlapping relation,generally upstanding relative to the roof and in their longitudinalextents being angularly divergent from both the line of the peak of theroof as Well as the side edge of the roof.

Fig. 3 represents a similar fragmentary perspective of a roof sectionshowing part of the side wall with a series of substantially perpen--dicular pegs as the drag-inducing elements.

Fig. 4 represents a similar fragmentary perspective of a roof sectioncarrying a multi-ply corrugated sheet metal strip as the drag-creatingelement.

Fig. 5 represents a similar fragmentary perspective of a roof sectionand side wall section in which the spoiling or drag-inducing elementsare a plurality of substantially conical members.

Fig. 6 represents a similar fragmentary perspective of a roof sectionand showing a side wall and end wall of the building structure, withspinnable drag creating elements on the roof and with angularly disposedlaterally inclined vanes on the side wall for minimizing the adverseeffects of relatively vertically moving air streams.

Fig. '7 represents a fragmentary elevation of a. modified form ofspoiler device comprising a pivoted airfoil spring held for clearancefrom the roof but arranged to contact the roof to create turbulence inresponse to air pressure thereon.

Fig. 8 represents a similar elevation in which the turbulence elementcomprises an endless metal strip corrugated with inverted V shapecorrugations.

Figs. 9 to 13 inclusive represent respectively side elevations ofindividual modified forms of vanes or fins for the building surface.

Fig. 14 represents a fragmentary side elevation similar to Figs. 7 and 8in which the turbulence creator comprises. elevated disc-like elements.

Fig. 15 represents a plan of one of the disc-like elements of Fig. 14and a fragmentary plan of the building structure surface upon which itis mounted. I

Figs. 15a, 16 and 17 represent respectively diagrammatic fragmentaryside elevations of slightly modified roof forms of building structuresincorporating the invention.

For purely illustrative purposes reference may be made to Fig. 6 for ashowing of the bare outapplication, the wind passing with high velocityover the building with its initial impact directed against side wall 20and windward roof surface 2| in the normal smooth roof heretoforecommon, flows smoothly up and over the ridge 23 to create negativepressure or a partial vacuum over the lee roof 22. The vacuum thuscreated was .the direct cause of unroofing the building .structure inmany past storms. Obviously it will be understood that each roof surface2| or 22 will have to be treated as later described of roof surface 2|as the wind obviously may come from any direction. In this connection itis unusual for unroofing or adverse effects to follow the directincidence of the high velocity winds against the end wall surface 24although it is contemplated that the side wall treatment to be recitedmay be applied to the end wall 24 to good advantage.

I have discovered that in the present type of structure having the sidewalls and roof as described and either with the side wall meeting thewindward roof in a projecting eave or, and

most particularly, when they simply merge in the line I9, that theimpact of the high velocity air stream against the side wall 20 causessuch upward flow past the meeting edge H! as to create an area ofnegative pressure adjacent to such meeting surface. This inventioncontemplates the correction of that adverse factor as will be pointedout hereinafter.

Referring to Fig. 1, the windward surface 2| supports the posts 25 and26 upon which the curved substantially S shaped spinnable devices 21 onesupported on an axis 28, so arranged as to have a clearance from theroof 2| during rotation, which illustratively may be three inches or thelike and which spinners are arranged in either aligned or staggeredseries on the roof surface in such manner as to create turbulence in theair stream passing thereover as will be clear. The spinners 21 asillustrated in Fig. 1 have their axes substantially parallel to the roofand to the ridge 23 but if desired they may be disposed with the axes 23parallel to the side wall 24. As shown in Fig. 6 analogous spinners 30mounted on axes 3| may be mounted with the axes perpendicular to theroof 2| whereby to create analogous turbulence.

In Fig. 2 the roof has any desired number of substantially perpendicularfins 32 arranged suitably in staggered relation upon the roof surface sothat drainage down the roof is not interfered with and with therespective elements 32 longitudinally disposed in angularly divergentrelation to the ridge 23 and to the end wall 24. In place of thealternate staggered relation disclosed the series of fins may bedisposed in substantial parallelism to each other or to ridge peak 23,and in staggered relation to facilitate drainage while producing drag tothe smooth flow of air over the roof portion 2|.

The device illustrated in Fig. 3 is of the utmost in simplicity andcomprises a series or plurality of aligned or staggered pegs or sticks33 preferably perpendicular to the roof 2| although obviously capable ofbeing inclined in any desired direction. A modification of the pegs ofFig. 3 is shown in Figs. 14 and 15 in that analogous pegs 34 carry discsor the like 35 to facilitate the creation of drag in the moving airstream.

The device of Fig. 4, namely of a continuous strip 36 having thealternate upwardly and downwardly presenting corrugations 31 and 38,

can be applied to the roof in narrow elongated It is contemplated thatan analogous result may be accomplished by providing a plurality of thefins shown in Figs. 9 to 13 inclusive, in either aligned or staggeredrelation and having any desired angular relation to the ridge or endwall lines.

Specifically in Fig. 9 a sheet metal stamping of a single squarecorrugation 42 may be used. In Fig. 10 the assymmetrical inclinedcorrugation 43 is disclosed for the desired purpose. Fig. shows asymmetrical substantially tubular fin 44. Fig. 12 illustrates a wedgeshaped fin 45 and Fig. 13 illustrates a single inverted V shaped fin 46.It will be understood that the fins 32 shown in Fig. 2 may be singlesheets of sheet metal or the like or may comprise fins as illustrated inFigs. 9 to 13 inclusive or as modified as may occur to those skilled inthe art.

Referring to Fig. 5 a further highly simplified form of structure isillustrated in the mounting upon the windward roof surface of aplurality of aligned or staggered substantially conical members 41.

Referring to Fig. '7 a form of airfoil 56 is disclosed pivoted on anaxis 5| on the supporting bracket 52 mounted on the roof 2|. Thetrailing edge 53 of the airfoil is engaged by spring 54 to urge theairfoil section to substantial parallelism to the roof 2| to afford aclearance 55 permitting draining of rain, snow and the like but which iscapable of responding to air pressure to push the entering edge 56downwardly against the roof 2| as indicated in dotted lines 51' toproduce a turbulence creating wind directing airfoil surface.

Mention has been made of the adverse effect sometimes attaching to thevertical flow relative to the windward wall 20. I prefer toprovide avane or angularly divergent fin 51pmjecting from said wall 20 spacedbelow the eave line I9 so as to effect an interruption in the verticalflow to prevent the creation of negative pressure on the upper roofsurfaces, whether flat. curved or the windward sloping surface 2|. Thepreferably horizontally extending fin 51 may be a single spoiler elementor may be one of several used on the vertical or substantially verticalwalls. 7

It is additionally contemplated that any other individual type or seriesof spoilers 0r combinations thereof disclosed herein or of anyreasonable modification thereof, may be disposed upon the substantiallyvertical wall 20 in place of or in augmentation of the fins 51disclosed.

While for purely illustrative purposes, the roof disclosed is of thepeaked and more or less symmetrical type, yet it will be clear that theinventions pertain to other types of roof in an analogous manner. Atypical roof by which adverse differential pressures are engendered byhigh velocity winds is the substantially arcuateroofs 56 of hangars orsimilar structures as shown in Fig. 15a. Owing to the curvature therelative air passage has an effect similar to that over fiat roofs as 58of Fig. 16 or flat roofs such as 60 of Fig. 17 having a surrounding wall6|, are susceptible to unroofing by hurricanesand the like and theinvention contemplates treatment of the side walls, especially, eitherwith or without spoilers 51 on the roof proper, by suitable spoilers 51to interfere with the vertical flow up the side walls.

It is to be understood that although each of the normal flow obstructingprojections disposed on buildings for conventional ornamentation orutilitarian purposes, such as window projections, ledges, friezes,cornices or the like, may have a small unintended turbulence-creatingfunction, it is generally so minute that even in the aggregate theyexert no appreciable drag, so that at critical velocities the unroofingmay still take place. It is the province of this invention when used onbuildings free from such normal projections to create such positivesubstantially predetermined degree of turbulence and retardation of flowas will prevent unroofing at critical velocities. When used on buildingshaving some or all of such normal projections, it is the province of theinvention to create such positive substantially predetermined degree ofturbulence and retardation of flow as will prevent unroofing at criticalvelocities at which such normal projections alone would be ineffectiveto prevent unroofing.

It is thought that the invention will be clear as will the fact that theexact dimensions will vary in accordance with the conditions governingthe local problem and that many modifications of the spoiler devicesdisclosed may be re sorted to by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In building constructions, an external surface, means operativelysupported to extend from said surface to a point such as to createturbulence in air flowing along the surface, said means being movableresponsive to air movement to enhance the turbulence creation.

2. In building constructions, an external surface, means operativelysupported to extend from said surface to a point such as to createturbulence in air flowing along the surface, said means comprisingpivoted means having an edge movable relative to the surface in responseto differential air velocities to modify the turbulence creation.

3. In building constructions, an external surface, means operativelysupported to extend from said surface to a point such as to createturbulence in air flowing along the surface, said means comprising aplurality of fins extending across the line of air movement and of sucharea and numbers as to create substantially predetermined drag in saidair flowing along said surface. 4. In building constructions, anexternal surface exposed to passing air streams, a plurality of spacedsubstantially perpendicularly extending abutments of such area anddistribution .as to be arranged to create substantially predeterminedturbulence in such passing air stream, the abutments comprising egs.

5. In building constructions, an external surface exposed to passing airstreams, a plurality of spaced substantially perpendicularly extendingabutments of such area and distribution as to be arranged to createsubstantially predetermined turbulence in such passing air stream, the

abutments comprising pegs, a plurality of disc like terminals mounted onthe respective pegs.

6. In building constructions, an external surface exposed to passing airstreams, a plurality of spaced substantially perpendicularly extendingabutments of such area and distribution as to be arranged to createsubstantially predetermined turbulence in such passing air stream, saidabutments comprising conical members.

7. In building constructions, a corrugated strip of metal, an exposedstructural surface supporting said strip, said corrugations being ofsuch size and number and supported in such manner relative to saidsurface as to create substantially predetermined turbulence in airstreams flowing thereover.

8. In building constructions, an exposed external surface, bracketsupports in spaced relation on said surface, a substantially airfoilsection extending between the brackets and pivoted thereto on an axislongitudinal of the section, resilient means normally urging the sectionto a position and attitude relative to the surface that a clearance isprovided between the section and the surface, said section so arrangedas to be susceptible to deflection downwardly on its axis to form a dragcreating fin arising from the surface.

9. In building constructions, an exposed external surface, a pluralityof staggered mutually angularly divergent upstanding fins mounted onsaid surface in such manner as to create turbulence in a passing airstream while permitting drainage between the adjacent fins.

10. A turbulence creating mechanism for the wall and roof of a buildingindependent of normal projections if any disposed on said wall,comprising means operably associated with said wall and so disposed,arranged and proportioned with respect to the wall area and to theflowing air stream moving relative thereto and to the roof as to createflow retarding turbulence in said air stream to prevent unroofingairflow over said roof at critical velocities at which such normalprojections would be ineffective.

11. A turbulence creating mechanism for the wall and roof of a buildingindependent of normal projections if any disposed on said wall,comprising means operably associated with said wall and so disposed,arranged and proportioned with respect to the wall area and to theflowing air stream moving relative thereto and to the roof as to createflow retarding turbulence in said air stream to prevent unrooflngairflow over said roof at critical velocities at which such normalrojections would be ineffective, and supplemental turbulence-creatingmeans associated 0perably with the roof for enhancing the creation ofturbulence in air flowing over said roof.

12. In building constructions, an external substantially vertical Wallsurface exposed to passing air streams of critical velocities, aplurality of spaced substantially perpendicularly extending abutments ofgreater turbulence creating value than any normal projections if any onsaid surface and of such area and distribution as to be arranged tocreate substantially predetermined turbulence in such passing air streamat critical velocities.

CHARLES TOWNSEND LUDINGTON.

